Pressing Forward!

Never forget the lessons of Philippians 4:13-14, “… But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and pressing forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

I was sent a number of possible resolutions for the New Year by a minister friend. They are good resolutions to adopt any time of the year. Here they are:

1) I will put my Bible before the television, the radio, the telephone, and even before good Christian books, others will know my priorities by the way they see me spend my free time.

2) I will make my prayer requests known before God and my prayer partners, enlisting their help in the process and informing them of the outcome, for by letting them help when I petition our Lord we will each affirm the living God who answers prayer.

3) When times of crisis, conflict or confusion arise, I will hit my knees before I hit the phone. God alone is the one who holds the solution to life’s every problem.

4) I will erase the words “luck” and “lucky” from my vocabulary and will instead by my speech point toward the One who orchestrates every detail of our lives and brings all good things to pass.

5) When bad things happen, I’ll neither grumble nor complain, remembering that even the bad times are allowed for a reason; that I might learn quiet trust in my Maker.

6) When others have witnessed something ugly in me- unkind words, an angry temper, “harmless” gossip, biting sarcasm or even my frustration when things don’t go my way - I will confess it as sin before them seeking their forgiveness, so that myself and others will develop the much needed habit of wiping their spiritual slate clean before God and man.

7) I will make time for the lonely, the sick, the elderly, the difficult to love, and will bring others (youth) along, for with each afternoon visit, each ride to the doctor, each raked lawn or washed window we will have opportunity to serve Jesus by serving the “least of these.”

Thinking of those young eyes around us: In all things will must remember that more is caught than is taught.

You are the first Bible some children (and some adults) will ever read.